I flew out from SFO a few days before and prayed for no rain or snow (we've done weddings in Boston the first week of April, with the April fools joke of 80 degrees a few days before and then on the wedding day a dusting of snow, then turning into a sheet of ice.)I stayed with my friend Raffi (who was the DJ and did the moving LED lighting for the reception) and we drove down to Newport, Rhode Island on a typical grey and blustery New England late winter day. I hadn't been home since last September, and I expected to see some flowers (as the cherry blossom season just ended a few weeks ago in San Fran), the treeline was all grey-brown and wintery looking except for a few evergreens and the grass on the ground, I knew it might be a challenge to get some great outdoor pictures at sunset of the opulent Rosecliff estate. I told the bride to bring a wrap to stay warm outside for pictures, and her planner to bring lots of umbrellas (in all black or white) if it was drizzling a bit. We lucked out, the skies cleared and it was a balmy 47 degrees with the sun breaking just out after the ceremony at Channing Memorial Church, which had wonderful stained glass art windows.
We got to Rosecliff around 6:20 to just catch the last of the 
sunset light (my favorite time of day to shoot outside) and we finished on the red heart-shaped staircase that matched Beth's flowers. I barely had enough time to capture the tables and flowers (from Laurel Lane, in a brown and deep red theme) before the guests came in. The room had an amber wash of colored light on the walls and architectural details that was artfully done by 
Tony Ormonde. In additional to the static lighting, Raffi had a lightshow of different colors and patterns changing to the beat of the music, which made for some very colorful and trippy-fun pictures. The appetizers and dinner were fantastic (I love that Morins catering goes out of their way to make a really special vegetariandish for their veggie vendors). The cake from Konditor Meister had a brown bow to go with the brown theme of the wedding, and they also had a candy room where guests could make their own take-home bags.
To view more of Beth and Tucker's Rosecliff wedding, click on their LoveStory.
